Clean CanadaClean CanadaFALL 2019FALL 2019

+Bacterial Bacterial Infections and Infections and the Cleaning the Cleaning Connection Connection

CHANGING THE WAY THE WCHANGING THE WAY THE WOORLD VIEWS CLEANINGRLD VIEWS CLEANING

Register NowRegister Nowfor ISSA Showfor ISSA ShowNorth AmericaNorth America20192019

Cleaning Cleaning Best Practices Best Practices in Commercial in Commercial KitchensKitchensStarts with Keeping Starts with Keeping Cleaning Tools CleanCleaning Tools Clean

THIS ISSUE SPONSORED BY: Benefitting people and

the environment page 7

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In this issue...Clean Canada is the marketing vehicle of ISSA Canada and is circulated to all ISSA Canada members. The e-newsletter is intended to provide news and views from the industry, as well as highlight upcoming educational opportunities and networking events being held across Canada. Clean Canada is published four times per year – Winter (January), Spring (April), Summer (July) and Fall (October).

ISSA Canada is the body formed by the merger of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and the Canadian Sanitation Supply Association (CSSA) in May 2017. The purpose of ISSA Canada is to provide the industry and its mem-bers with a high degree of profes-sionalism, technical knowledge and business ethics.

ISSA Canada’s mission is to reach out to all sectors of the Canadian cleaning industry in order to unify the nation’s cleaning community, and increase the appreciation for cleaning as an investment in hu-man health, the environmental and an improved bottom line.

910 Dundas St. W., P.O. Box 10009Whitby, ON L1P 1P7Tel: (905) 665-8001Toll free: (866) 684-8273E-mail: tracy@issa-canada.comWeb site: www.issa-canada.com

ISSA Canada Staff

Mike NoskoISSA Canada Executive Director

mike@issa-canada.com

Tracy MacDonaldOperations Manager

tracy@issa-canada.com

Tanja NowotnyDirector of Marketing & Communications

tanja@issa-canada.com

Ken HilderISSA Canada BSC Council Chair

adam@point-logic.com

Adam WroblewskiIT Support

adam@point-logic.com

Subscribe to Clean CanadaSubscribe to Clean Canada and receive all issues. It’s simple... just click here or contact Tanja Nowotny at (905) 697-8905, or email tanja@issa-canada.com

INFECTION CONTROLBacterial infections and the cleaning connection - “We’re up to the job”

INDUSTRY EVENTDates announced for the one show for facility solutions in Canada. ISSA Show Canada will be held June 9 to 11, 2020 at the Metro To-ronto Convention Centre, in down-town Toronto. MEET THE MEMBERS

Prism Care Corporation - Benefit-ting people and the environment.

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COVER STORYCleaning best practices in com-mercial kitchens starts with keeping cleaning tools clean.

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INDUSTRY EXPOSITIONRegistration is open for ISSA Show North America 2019, which takes place in Las Vegas, NV, from November 18 to 21, 2019.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTSFull listing of educational op-portunities and networking events happening near you!

11INDUSTRY STUDYStudy analyses effectiveness of wipes on hospital surfaces. Re-searchers match pathogens to dis-infectants.

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STUDY FINDINGSFacility managers choosing hand dryers for restrooms in buildings that ae frequented by children may want to consider quieter models as a new study published in Paediatrics & Child Health found the noise from higher-decibel models can be harmful to childrens’ ear.

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SURVEY RESULTSThe Healthy Hand Washing Survey from Bradley Corporation, re-vealed unclean school restrooms cause students to have a negative perception of their institution and its leaders.

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CANADA NIGHT 2019Join ISSA Canada in Las Vegas, NV, for the annual Canada Night networking event being held Tues-day, November 19, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

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Clean Canada – Fall 2019 3

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The real issue is that these infections have historically been very easy to treat. What has been “easily and quickly cured with a simple course of antibiotics” now often leads to “graver diseases and hos-pitalization,” Richtel writes. He points out how one 38-year-old woman, who reported she has had several urinary tract infections over the years, found they tra-ditionally went away in just a matter of days after taking antibiotics. Recently, however, she had to test several different medicines, taking each one for several days, looking for one that still works.

In another case, reported in Canada’s

There was a troubling report in the New York Times that has as much to do with cleaning as it does with health. The July 13, 2019, article, “Urinary Tract Infections Affect Millions. The Cures Are Falter-

ing,” written by Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Matt Rich-tel, found that urinary tract infections, which afflict millions of people each year, are getting harder to treat. However, that’s only part of the story.

Globe and Mail newspaper, a Toronto woman who has had five urinary tract infections in her life says she must now take several different antibiotics until she finds one that will work. According to the article, “they [the infections] keep com-ing back. It feels like it might be the same one again and again, [and] it’s a worry.”

Some experts believe it is more than just a worry. “This is crazy. This is shock-ing,” says Lance Price, director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Centre at George Washington University.

So, what’s going on here?This is the latest example of how bac-

terial infections are becoming resistant to many types of commonly-used anti-biotics – antibiotics that have historically been very effective. This problem has become so prevalent in the New York City area that the New York City Depart-ment of Health has introduced an app that gives doctors and nurses access to a database of different types of urinary tract infections, and the drugs they are resistant to. The app helps end much of the experimentation currently going on, looking for a drug that works.

We should add one more thing: don’t expect any new antibiotics to be intro-duced anytime soon. “Big Pharma has basically given up on antibiotics,” accord-ing to a Forbes magazine article published August 18, 2017. “It’s not that the risks are too high; it is that the rewards are too low.” In other words, all the time and research typically needed to introduce a new antibiotic simply does not pay off.1

THE CLEANING CONNECTIONIf more infections are becoming

INFECTION CONTROL

Bacterial Bacterial Infections and Infections and the Cleaning the Cleaning ConnectionConnection

“We’re Up to the Job”By ROBERT KRAVITZ

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Bacterial Infections and the Cleaning Connection continued from page 3

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drug-resistant and pharmaceutical com-panies are backing away from introducing new ones, what are our options?

As it turns out, the most important and effective option we have may be the Canadian cleaning industry. While effec-tive cleaning may not reduce the number of urinary tract infections, many of the more common bacterial diseases con-tracted by children and adults alike are the result of touching contaminated sur-faces, and then touching the eyes, mouth or nose, or getting that contamination on food that is later consumed.

Compounding the problem, one indi-vidual may touch a contaminated surface, and then touch other surfaces as well as other people. This is one of the most common forms of cross-contamination. Helping to prevent this comes down to using effective cleaning methods, tools and products.

As to antibiotics, Canadian cleaning professionals must have a solid under-standing of what DIN (Drug Identifica-tion Number) is all about, and what to look for when selecting a disinfectant. In most cases, a wide- or broad-range disin-fectant will be needed because it is tough to determine precisely what pathogens might be on the surface.

Beyond this, cleaning workers must understand the basics of using disinfec-tants. Among these are the following:

• Use disinfectants only when and where needed. Some pathogens are be-coming resistant to some disinfectants, just like the antibiotics mentioned earlier. Limiting their use will help slow or pre-vent resistance from developing.

• Clean surfaces first, before disin-fecting. Often overlooked, this first step removes soils on the surface that can im-pede the effectiveness of the disinfectant.

• Once the disinfectant has been ap-plied, allow the chemicals time to dwell. The best way to address this is to apply the disinfectant to several surfaces or fixtures at one time, and then wipe clean. If the disin-fectant has dried, then it must be re-applied.

• As the disinfectant is used, quat binding can become an issue. This is when the quats (quaternary ammonium compounds), which provide the kill-

ing power in disinfectants, are absorbed into the cleaning cloth. The antibiotic loses its efficacy as this happens. Prevent quat binding by spraying the surface to be cleaned and not the cleaning cloth; do not soak cleaning cloths in diluted buck-ets of water and disinfectant; and change cleaning cloths frequently.*

FINDING THE PATHOGENSFor the most part, with proper cus-

todial training, and use of the most ap-propriate and effective cleaning solutions and products, we have the cleaning part down. The professional cleaning industry in Canada can and does help prevent the spread of disease.

However, the issue that must still be addressed is finding these pathogens. Traditionally, it has been like stabbing in the dark, according to Brad Evans, CEO of OptiSolve, a surface assessment tool that quickly uncovers hidden pathogens on surfaces. “Not knowing is a major problem.”

Research by an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin illustrates this point. The researcher was looking at areas within a school where different types of pathogens are more likely to be found. They also tested surface areas such as bath-room sinks, doors and hall passes given to students, parents, teachers and visitors to the school. They suspected the hall passes would be contaminated, they just weren’t sure of what types of contaminants and in what amounts. It turned out the counts were very high. Altogether, the study found more than 18,000 colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria on the hall passes, sinks and doors, many of which were po-tentially health threatening.**

“One of the big advances in recent years to help address this situation and uncover pathogens has been the use of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) monitoring systems,” Evans says. “However, we now know these [systems] have drawbacks.”

Evans points out that custodial work-ers typically use ATP to test specific sur-face areas that they suspect house patho-gens. “However, pathogens may be a few inches away from these areas and can

ISSA Canada is pleased to an-nounce that the dates for ISSA Show Canada have been an-

nounced. The 2020 edition of the one show for facility solutions in Canada will be June 9 to 11, 2020 (Exhibits: June 10 & 11) at the Met-ro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 King St. W., in downtown To-ronto, ON.

“We are committed to uniting the industry and raising the bar in order to achieve healthier and sus-tainable buildings,” says Mike Nos-ko, ISSA Canada Executive Direc-tor. “After last year’s outstanding debut event, ISSA, IFMA and the REMI Network are planning to el-evate the standards of profession-alism in the cleaning industry even further, and the robust education program planned for ISSA Show Canada 2020 will deliver on that commitment, resulting in more knowledgeable and better-trained cleaning staff.”

ISSA Show Canada is the result of a partnership between ISSA, IFMA and MediaEdge’s Real Es-tate Management Industry (REMI) Network. The goal of the show is to provide a platform to connect like-minded industry professionals focused on keeping buildings clean, green, and operating in a sustainable and energy-efficient fashion.

The trade show floor offers a platform for facility, property and operations managers to meet lead-ing suppliers of cleaning products and services, keep up with market trends and share experiences with their industry peers – professional development to benefit their build-ings, staff and tenants.

More details on exhibitor oppor-tunities and educational program-ming will be available soon.

For more information on ISSA Show Canada, please visit www.ISSAShow-Canada.com, or contact Mike Nosko, ISSA Canada Executive Director at mike@issa-canada.com.

Clean Canada – Fall 2019 5

Cleaning tools can be a significant source of microbial contamination [in commercial kitch-en] if not cleaned. Cleaning tools like brooms, mops, squeegees, buckets, sponges, scrapers, foaming equipment, water guns, etc., should be cleaned and sanitized… [and] stored clean, dried and secured.*

Keeping cleaning tools clean and sanitized is always an issue in all kinds of facilities. If for no other reason, the cleaner the tools, the more professional the cleaning worker looks. But, it is an es-pecially pressing issue when it comes to cleaning a commercial kitchen.

For example:• Raw meats, fish, and poultry and

the juices produced by these food items can breed many pathogens until ade-quately cooked. These fluids often find

their way on to cleaning tools during the cleaning process.

• Similarly, fruits and vegetables, de-pending on where they are grown, can be a source of pathogens until effectively cleaned or cooked. These food items can also contaminate cleaning tools.

• Cleaning tools collect soils and con-taminants. This means, as they are used, instead of removing, they can spread these contaminants to other areas of the kitchen.

In fact, it is such a concern in food processing facilities, that surfaces are al-ways being tested to see if pathogens – or potential pathogens are present. They often do this by using ATP (adenosine triphosphate) rapid monitoring systems. While these monitors do not say what pathogens may be on a surface, a high

ATP reading indicates cause for concern.Further, earlier this year, the American

Society for Microbiology, published a report suggesting that special “paper stickers,” are proving to be an effective way to deter-mine if contamination exists on surfaces. The stickers absorb contaminants. While they still must be analysed in a laboratory or through a testing process, the entire procedure can be relatively fast and easy.

This means cleaning professionals should do all they can to keep restaurant and commercial kitchens as clean and healthy as possible, and it all begins with their tools. Here are some “best practic-es” and guidelines to follow:

• After each use, thoroughly clean tools to remove grease, oil, food residue and soils. Allow to air dry.

• Remember that when we clean and sanitize, or clean and disinfect cleaning tools, it is always a two-step process. We clean first to remove soils, and then sani-tize or disinfect. The cleaning process helps the sanitizer or disinfectant work more effectively.

• If using a floor machine, clean and

When it comes to the proper and effective clean-ing of commercial kitchens, we often find that cleaning tools – the items we use to help keep the kitchen clean and healthy – are the very

items that can spread disease. According to a 2007 report by the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition:

continued on page 6

COVER STORY

Cleaning Best Cleaning Best Practices in Practices in Commercial Commercial KitchensKitchensStarts with Keeping Cleaning Tools Clean By MIKE WATT

6 Clean Canada – Fall 2019

continued from page 7

Bacterial Infections and the Cleaning Connection

continued from page 4

potentially be overlooked,” he said.Further, studies indicate that an

ATP monitor can present different clean/reclean levels. This can hap-pen as a result of the unit being used, how the user uses the swabs neces-sary to test surfaces and other factors.

“Surface assessment tools using imaging technologies are designed to paint a much broader picture of where pathogens are and in what amounts, so there is less confusion,” Evans says. “Once we know where they are, we can eradicate them with effective cleaning, keeping people and the facility much healthier.”

The term cleaning for health was introduced more than 20 years ago in the book Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health by Michael A. Berry, then a scientist at the University of North Carolina. The professional cleaning industry has been using this as a mantra ever since. Today, with antibiotic-resis-tant diseases becoming a growing problem, those words mean more than ever before. Fortunately, new technologies, effective cleaning products, and up-to-date cleaning methods are helping to ensure the industry is up to the job.

- Robert Kravitz is a frequent writer for the professional cleaning industry.

(1) “The Rise of the Urinary Tract Infec-tion That’s Nearly Impossible to Treat” by Adriana Barton, The Globe and Mail; May 16, 2018

(2) “Why Pharmaceutical Companies Aren’t in a Rush to Address Increasing An-tibiotic Resistance,” Forbes; (No author information provided); August 18, 2017

* Quat binding can occur in many ways. Presented here are some of the most common.

** Source: Zhicon Wang, “Potential Pathogens in the School Environment,” Uni-versity of Wisconsin, 2007

disinfect the housing, shroud, wheels and squeegee, as well as the stem of the machine, after using. This applies to the hand-control area and cord as well.

• Never “mix use” cleaning tools; brushes, brooms, mops, even floor squee-gees used in a restroom or the “front end” of a restaurant should not be used in the kitchen.

• If using a hose to spray down floors, walls, counters and other surfaces, rinse clean the hose and the sprayer control, and allow to air dry.

• Before using cleaning tools, first wash your hands and then put on gloves; this will help prevent soil on the hands from finding its way onto cleaning tools. It also protects the hands.

• Always store cleaning tools off the ground; this allows them to air dry more thor-oughly, and prevents them from coming in contact with floor-surface moisture or soils.

• Never store cleaning tools near food preparation areas or where food is stored. Keep them separate and in a designated area.

• If possible, lock the storage area where cleaning tools are stored. During the course of the day, a kitchen worker may use a tool such as a mop or broom without cleaning it afterward. If contami-nated, it can spread contaminants in the kitchen.

• If working with a cleaning cart, clean and disinfect the cart. Remove all supplies before cleaning. Pay special at-tention to cracks, crevices, joints, handles and the wheels of the cart. This is where soil and contaminants build up.

• Place cleaning chemicals on shelves, or even better, enclosed wire racks. The racks hold the containers in place, help-ing to prevent tipping and spills, which could cause chemicals to splash onto sur-faces or food, in someone’s eyes or on a person’s skin.

• Because of language issues, develop a colour-coding system for each type of cleaning solution: degreasers, sanitizers, disinfectants and so on. These designated colours should also be on the shelves or racks on which these products are stored to avoid using the wrong product.

• Make sure cleaning solutions are

kept in their original containers and are properly closed when not in use; this pre-vents airborne pathogens from potential-ly contaminating the solution.

• If mopping floors, change the mop head frequently and machine wash after each use; waiting to change the mop head once it looks soiled is too late. The mop pole and housing must also be cleaned and disinfected.

• Dish rags and towels, whether used by kitchen staff or when cleaning the kitchen, become highly-contaminated very quickly. They must be changed fre-quently and laundered after use. Sponges should not be used in commercial kitch-ens because they become heavily contam-inated and hide soiling.

• Always have two laundry bags at hand, one for clean dish rags and towels, and one for soiled dish rags and towels.

• Do not store filled trash liners near cleaning tools or closets where cleaning tools are stored.

• Pay attention to small cleaning items; for instance, dust pans can also be a source of contamination, along with small brooms and hand pads. Clean and disinfect the pan, and hose-off pads and brooms. Allow to air dry.

• Develop a cleaning tool cleaning and maintenance plan. This should be written down, implemented and displayed promi-nently in the kitchen. This ensures those in charge of cleaning are fully aware of their responsibilities.

When it comes to cleaning tools used to clean commercial kitchens, keeping them looking presentable means very little. Thorough and effective cleaning of the tools used in the kitchen is the best way to keep workers and consumers healthy. Cleaning professionals can never be too cautious when the health conse-quences can be so severe.

- Mike Watt is head of Training and New Product Development at Avmor, a leading North American manufacturer of profes-sional cleaning solutions. He can be reached at mwatt@avmor.com.

* JIFSAN Good Aquacultural Practices Pro-gram: Effective Cleaning and Sanitizing Procedures by Alan Parker, 2007.

Cleaning Best Practices in Commercial Kitchens continued from page 5

Clean Canada – Fall 2019 7

continued on page 8

“I spoke to many people from all sec-tors of the jansan industry – particularly front-line cleaning staff who are exposed to toxic cleaning chemicals everyday while doing their jobs,” Borges said. “The need for safer options for both people and planet were clear.”

It was this need that fueled Borges’ determination to found family-owned Prism Care Corporation in April 1999. With a mission to benefit people and the environment, Prism launched its first suc-cess – PrismEnvironmental® – a series of high-performance, heavy-duty cleaners designed specifically for the commercial cleaning market.

“We tirelessly researched the best natu-ral, plant-based and sustainable raw mate-rials, and created countless formulations

continued pushing the boundaries of what a natural cleaning experience could be. First launched was the BioFactor™ line of non-pathogenic, bacteria-based products. Then, in 2003, Eco-Max® the company’s flagship brand and gold-stan-dard for healthy cleaning, was rolled out.

“Many conventional cleaning prod-ucts contain toxic ingredients that can reduce indoor air quality and cause ad-verse health affects, in addition to pollut-ing our environment,” Borges explains.

Two decades ago, the commercial cleaning landscape was on the cusp of change. Expectations for what defined a safe and effective cleaning experience were beginning to evolve. The green cleaning technology

we know today was in its infancy with pioneers like Felix Borges, founder and CEO of Prism Care Corporation leading the charge.

MEET THE MEMBERS

Prism Care CorporationBenefitting people and the environment

by professional cleaning services for its strong performance and full range of so-lutions – everything from multi-purpose cleaners to degreasers. It’s now used in major banks, airports, and other com-mercial and recreational facilities across the country, including large and small institutions with strict indoor air quality standards.

On the heels of its strong commercial success, in 2006, Prism Care brought the Eco-Max brand to households, launching a consumer line which has since grown to include over 100 SKUs of household cleaning products. Eco-Max is sold in over 1000 retail outlets, including inde-pendent health food stores and major grocery chains such as Loblaws (and its series of banners), Canadian Tire, Sobeys and Walmart. It is also exported to inter-

to satisfy the needs of the industry,” Borges explains. But, at the time, Prism Care was only one of a hand-ful of companies who offered EcoLogo (now UL ECOLO-GO) products that were tested and certi-fied for environmental leadership.

“It was not until the Canadian govern-ment began mandating the use of recog-nized third-party certified products in their facilities did our ideas for a safer cleaning experience begin to really gain traction,” Borges said. “Those reluctant to make the switch jumped on board and began seeing the value of what we were doing.”

In the following years, Prism Care

“With Eco-Max, the com-pany chose to leverage plant-based U.S. FDA GRAS-approved in-

gredients to create a sig-nificantly safer cleaning expe-rience for hu-mans and the natural envi-ronment.”

E c o - M a x was embraced

The future of Prism Care is looking bright and is in good hands with Felix Borges’ (centre) sons, Ian (left), vice president - market-ing & communications, and Sheldon (right), president. (Inset Photo) Prism Care strives to adopt sustainable practices. Among many initiatives in place, the company’s 46,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility is powered with renewable energy from Bullfrog Power.

8 Clean Canada – Fall 2019

Facility managers choosing hand dryers for restrooms in buildings that are fre-

quented by children may want to consider quieter models as a new study published in Paediatrics & Child Health found the noise from higher-decibel models can be harmful to childrens’ ears.

The lead researcher was a nine-year-old Canadian girl, Nora Keegan, who noticed her ears would ring sometimes after us-ing loud hand dryers in public re-strooms, and saw other children covering their ears when a hand dryer was operating, NPR reports. Keegan visited more than 40 public restrooms in Alberta using a pro-fessional decibel meter to measure the sound levels of hand dryers from various heights and distances. Her loudest measurement was 121 decibels. Many units were louder at childrens’ ear heights than at adult ear heights.

According to the study, noises that exceed 100 decibels can be harmful to children’s ears, and lead to learning disabilities, attention difficulties and ruptured ear drums. The journal noted the study can be helpful in guiding regulators, builders, managers and landlords in making decisions about which dry-ers to install in public facilities.

- Reprinted from CMM Online

STUDY:

Some HandDryers Too Loud for Children

Prism Care CorporationBenefitting people and the environment continued from page 7

national markets.Prism Care has come a long way in

the last 20 years, and it would seem the company’s trail-blazing has paid-off. To-day, industry decision-makers and house-hold consumers see the value of green cleaning technology, and are taking time to educate themselves on safer cleaning practices and healthy living.

“We’re thrilled at how far we’ve come,” Borges said. “Canadians are more educat-ed than ever and continue to ask the right questions about their cleaning products. They’re also asking about the company behind the brand and we’re happy to say, we’re making an impact there, too.”

Prism Care strives to adopt sustainable practices and is shaping industry trends on a global scale. For nearly a decade, the company has incorporated sustainable energy in its operations and, today, pow-ers its 46,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facil-ity with renewable energy from Bullfrog Power.

Prism Care has also taken a leadership role in its packaging practices, using 100 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic in some of its most-used consumer prod-ucts. In 2014, Borges was appointed to a Standards Council of Canada committee that contributed to the creation of ISO 20400 Sustainable Procurement, a new

global standard enabling organizations to implement sustainable environmental, so-cial and economic development. During the process, he represented the Canadian committee at ISO/PC-277 international meetings held at the British Standards Institute in London, England. Borges is also currently a member of the UL com-mittee tasked with developing the new standard UL 3420 Sustainability of Plastic Packaging, which aims to address sustain-ability factors for plastics, such as energy use, material efficiency, chemical hazards, recyclability, in addition to the impacts of production and end of life.

The future of Prism Care is looking bright, according to Borges, and is in good hands with his sons Sheldon Borg-es, president, and Ian Borges, vice presi-dent - marketing and communications, who have both played integral roles in bringing the business to where it is now. Moving forward, Prism Care will con-tinue to demonstrate to Canadians, and people around the world, that choosing a safer cleaning product isn’t just the right choice for healthy living, it’s the right choice for the future.

For more information, please contact Prism Care at (905) 820-2273, toll free (888) 538-3300 or visit the company’s web site at www.prismcare.ca.

As a new school year begins, the Healthy Hand Washing Survey from Bradley Corporation, re-

vealed unclean school restrooms cause students to have a negative perception of their institution and its leaders.

According to the press release, 68 per cent of students said school restrooms that are poorly maintained or unclean show the school doesn’t care about its students, reflects poor school manage-ment and lowers their overall opinion of the school. In fact, nearly half of stu-dents describe the condition of their

school restrooms as poor or fair.“The negative impact of poorly

maintained school restrooms is clear-

Students Perception of School Restrooms: Survey

continued on page 10

Clean Canada – Fall 2019 9continued on page 10

INDUSTRY EXPOSITIONINDUSTRY EXPOSITION

Registration is open for ISSA Show North America 2019, which takes place in Las Vegas, NV, Novem-ber 18-21, 2019. To date, this is the

largest event produced by ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, with more than 16,000 cleaning and facility solutions profes-sionals and 700-plus exhibits expected.

try organizations and their constituents at this year’s show.“ISSA Show North America is renowned for creating a dy-

namic venue for professionals in all aspects of the cleaning in-dustry,” said ISSA vice president of marketing Jonathan Adkins. “In addition to the expansive trade show floor filled with the cleaning industry’s latest innovations, we have the most robust education curriculum of any expo in the industry.”

EDUCATION SESSIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND WORKSHOPS TO EXCEED 100

For the first time in the event’s history, more than 100 educa-tion sessions will be available. Each will be led by an industry expert. Attendees can select individual sessions they wish to at-tend, or they can follow one of several curated education tracks:

• Commercial Cleaning Track• Distributor Track• Green Clean Schools Track, presented by Healthy Schools

Campaign• Health Care Track, presented by IEHA, A Division of ISSA• Latin America Track • Residential Cleaning Track, presented by ARCSI, A Divi-

November 18 - 21, 2019 Las Vegas Convention Centre

Cleaning-industry professionals of all levels gather annually at the event to conduct business, sharpen their skills, learn the newest industry trends, discover the latest products and services, and uncover fresh solutions to the day-to-day challenges they face. For the tenth consecutive year, ISSA Show North America 2019 hosts co-location partner Building Service Contractors Association International (BSCAI) and its 2019 Contracting Success Conference. Additionally, ISSA welcomes the Healthy Schools Campaign and its Green Clean Schools education track, leading distributor sales and marketing groups, and other indus-

10 Clean Canada – Fall 2019

continued from page 9

sion of ISSA.“The conference program covers

many other critical areas in addition to the tracks,” Adkins said. “To date, we have six certification workshops on the schedule spanning all four days of the event.”

Other topical sessions cover business management, self-improvement, succes-sion planning, emerging technologies and infection control. More sessions are be-ing added in the months ahead to address the latest trends and developments in the evolving commercial cleaning industry.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INNOVATION AWARD PROGRAM

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the ISSA Innovation Award Program. The association is celebrating by supple-menting the Innovation Showcase with the Innovation Centre – located across the aisle – which will feature demonstra-tions and presentations from select pro-gram entrants.

“All products and technologies in con-tention for Innovation of the Year and the five category awards will be on display in the Innovation Showcase, Booth 101,” Adkins explained. “This year, entrants have a third chance for industry acclaim by being selected a Category Honoree.”

ISSA SHOW NORTH AMERICA HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2019

Additional special attractions and event features in 2019 include:

• Specialty cleaning area and theatre on the show floor, which will feature unique education sessions and exhibitors from health care, residential and restora-tion segments.

• Solve for X booth, where “X” rep-resents specific industry challenges on which attendees will collaborate through unique peer-to-peer idea exchanges.

• The ISSA Sports Bar, sponsored by Spartan Chemical Co., a welcoming ven-ue for attendees to network and relax on the bustling trade show floor.

• International Pavilion and Italian Pavilion, which together will feature ex-hibitors from over 26 countries.

• First-Time Exhibitor Pavilion and Startup Village, featuring new companies to ISSA Show North America, such as technology-solution providers, safety equipment suppliers, and others from commercial cleaning and adjacent markets.

• Discounts to attractions across the Las Vegas Strip with a valid ISSA Show North America 2019 trade show badge.

November 18 to 21, 2019Las Vegas Convention Centre, Las Vegas, NV

Canada Night will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the

Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Held in conjunction with the ISSA Show North America 2019, Canada Night is the highlight of ISSA Can-ada’s networking calendar. Exclusive to ISSA Canada members, the event offers an ideal platform for members to meet and socialize with fellow Ca-nadian industry representatives while enjoying complimentary snacks and beverages.

“We’re extremely excited to be host-ing our annual Canada Night in Las Ve-gas, NV,” said ISSA Canada Executive Director Mike Nosko. “Canada Night is a time to celebrate the industry in Cana-

da along with those individuals who rep-resent it. Come join us and celebrate our Canadian identity with some fine food and fellowship.”

If you are interested in attending or spon-soring a station at the Canadian social event of the year, please contact Tracy MacDon-ald at tracy@issa-canada.com or call (905) 665-8001 / toll free (866) 684-8273.

continued on page 11

ly significant and spreads beyond the bathroom doors to the entire school,” says Jon Dommisse, di-rector of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. “Female students are even more inclined to be negatively influenced by run-down school restrooms.”

Other highlights from the sur-vey include:

• The state of a school rest-room likely factors into a student’s decision on whether or not the visit the restroom. While most (81 per cent) use their school restroom on a daily basis, 19 per cent claim to never frequent it. They avoid the facilities in part because they’re dirty, smelly, or have broken or old toilets, sinks and doors.

• Students’ number one sugges-tion for school restroom improve-ments is more privacy including taller stall doors and eliminating gaps between the stall panels. Their second wish is for cleaner facilities followed by more air fresheners.

• If students do encounter an unclean or unpleasant restroom, they usually skip their trip. More than half say they leave without us-ing the restroom and 39 per cent try to avoid using that restroom in the future. Only 20 per cent take action to address the situation by notifying a teacher or school management.

• Only 60 per cent of students said they always wash their hands before leaving the school restroom. Their reasons for not washing in-clude: no soap or paper towel; not enough time between classes; and the sinks weren’t working or were unclean.

• Fifty-seven per cent of stu-dents said they’d be more likely to wash if there was a sign in the re-stroom reminding them to do so.

The Healthy Hand Washing Sur-vey was conducted online Jan. 3 to 8, 2019 and queried 630 Ameri-can students enrolled in ninth to 12th grade.

Students Perception of School Restrooms

continued from page 8

Clean Canada – Fall 2019 11

CALENDAROF EVENTSOCTOBER 22: The Value of Benchmarking Cleaning Services Webinar, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. (EDT). For more information and to register, visit www.issa.com.

NOVEMBER 18: CIMS ISSA Certi-fication Expert (I.C.E.) Workshop, Las Vegas, NV. For more information and to register, visit www.issa.com.

NOVEMBER 18 - 21: ISSA Show North America, Las Vegas Conven-tion Center, Las Vegas, NV. For more information and to register, visit www.issa.com/show.

MARCH 17 - 18: Clean Buildings Expo, Baltimore, MD. For more infor-mation, visit www.issa.com.

JUNE 9 - 11: ISSA Show Canada, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, To-ronto, ON. For more information, con-tact ISSA Canada.

continued from page 10

REGISTRATION OPTIONS MAXIMIZE ATTENDEE VALUE

Attendees have two registration options this year:

1. The All-Access Pass – the best value to experience the event – includes a trade show floor badge; access to 100-plus education ses-sions; the popular Lunch and Learn event: Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast, featuring Kristen Hadeed; ISSA Welcome Recep-tion; Attendee Orientation and show floor tours; Evening Round-table Discussions; ISSA Spotlight Speaker Marvelless Mark®, spon-sored by Essity Professional Hy-giene North America LLC; and the Technology for Tomorrow Panel.

2. Trade Show Badge, which includes access to the exhibits dur-ing show-floor hours, November 19-21, and any education opportu-nities hosted on the show floor.

Registration is open at issa.com/show.

As disinfectant wipes are used more frequently to clean hos-pital surfaces, environmental

services workers need to ensure they are using the correct wipes to kill pathogens most commonly found in health care fa-cilities and prevent cross-contamination of these germs to other surfaces. A new study published in the journal Antimicro-bial Resistance & Infection Control looked at the effectiveness of disinfectant wipes in eliminating three viruses: murine norovi-rus (a substitute for human norovirus), adenorvirus type 5, and polyomavirus SV40.

Researchers found that wipes using the active ingredient peracetic acid were able to eliminate all three test viruses. In addition, all wipes containing quaternary ammonioum compounds (quats) inacti-vated polyomavirus SV40, but only some wipes containing quats killed murine nor-

ovirus. Wipes using 2-propanal as an ac-tive ingredient were not effective against any of the three test viruses.

When it came to cross contamination, researchers found that the 2-propanol-based wipes transferred all the test vi-ruses to previously non-contaminated surfaces, while the quats-based wipes only transferred polyomavirus SV40 to previously non-contaminated surfaces. However, wipes containing peracetic acid were not found to spread any of the three pathogens to clean surfaces.

As the purchase of a disinfectant is one of the most challenging decisions for decision-makers in the cleaning industry, CMM has looked at the pros and cons of using disinfectants with hydrogen perox-ide versus quats to help purchasers decide which disinfectants will work best for their facilities’ distinct needs.

– Reprinted from CMM Online

Study Analyses Effectiveness of Wipes on Hospital SurfacesResearchers match pathogens to disinfectants

INDUSTRY STUDYINDUSTRY STUDY

Advocating for the Cleaning IndustryISSA tracks and addresses various legislative issues to educate and engage its

members, policymakers and the public at large. ISSA is committed to lobbying on behalf of the cleaning industry’s interests, as well as helping its members comply with new laws and regulations after they are passed.

ISSA regularly recaps some of the week’s most pressing legislative issues fac-ing the cleaning industry. Check out the full re-cap for more details.

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